It is not unknown to those who stand firm in the Covenant and Testament of God that the
centre of violation and his associates, from the day of
the ascension of the Ancient Beauty, may His Great
Name be ever exalted, have been working night and
day and continually putting forth all their efforts, to
spread disorder and disrupt the Faith. At this time,
because of our terrible affliction, the ascension of
`Abdu'l-Bahá--may the quintessence of our souls
be sacrificed to His sacred resting-place--they are
busying themselves more than ever with the circulation
of false rumours and idle imaginings, their
purpose being, one way or another, to instil doubts
into the minds, and thus to achieve their vain and
futile ends.

2

Alas for them, however, there is no doubt at all
that they will achieve nothing but the failure of their
plans and the frustration of their hopes. Utter
disappointment and a bitter end is all they will ever
gain--just as `Abdu'l-Bahá--may our lives be sacrificed
for His meekness--has foretold in His Will
and Testament, where He clearly and unequivocally
sets forth the dissidence, the mischief-making and
the wicked designs of that abominable band. And it
is certain that through the never-ceasing confirmations
of God, the light diffused by the loyalty of the
true believers will scatter the darkness of the suspicions
which the malicious have been spreading, and
the brightness that streams from the believers' faces
will dispel the gloom of the people of doubt.

3

Briefly, for some time they had been applying to
the various government agencies, in the hope that
with the government's assistance they would be able
to obtain legal support for their empty claims.
However, God be praised, they were disappointed.
Then came a day, Tuesday, January 30--that is,
four months ago--when the disaffected gathered
together at the Mansion of Bahjí, invited in some of
the rabble of Akká, and after joint consultation,
determined to go to the Holy Tomb, forcibly wrest
its key from the caretakers, and hand it over to the
arch Covenant-breaker, pivot of the violation. Such
was the plan, the disgraceful action, devised by the
prime mover of mischief and his lieutenant.

4

They then committed the brazen act. From the
caretaker of the Holy Tomb, Áqá Siyyid Abu'l-Qásim,
they took away the key by force, and
he, unable to withstand their attack, at once
dispatched his assistant, Áqá Khalíl, to Haifa, to
report to Shoghi Effendi what had taken place. The
news reached Haifa about two hours after sunset,
and the matter was instantly referred to the Governor.
On his stringent orders, the key was surrendered
that very night and placed in Government
custody until the matter could be fully investigated
to determine the question of rightful ownership.

5

Now, after the passage of four months, the
Government has rendered its verdict, to the effect
that the question should be put to the Bahá'í
community, and that whatever decision the
Bahá'ís arrive at will be conclusive. If the Bahá'í
community considers Mírzá Muhammad-`Alí to
be excommunicated, then he has no rights whatever
to the takeover. Therefore, wherever Bahá'ís
reside, they must, through the given city's Spiritual
Assembly, and bearing the signature of named
individuals who are members of the elected body,
inform the British authorities in Jerusalem, either by
cable or letter sent through His Majesty's ambassadors
or consuls, that the Bahá'í community, in
conformity with the explicit writings and the Will
and Testament of His Eminence `Abdu'l-Bahá, Sir
Abbás Effendi, texts well known and available in
His own hand--recognize His Eminence Shoghi
Effendi as the one to whom all Bahá'ís must turn,
and as the Guardian of the Cause of God, and that
they have no connection whatever, either material
or spiritual, with Mírzá Muhammad-Ali, whom
they consider to be excommunicated from the
Bahá'í Faith, according to the explicit writings of
`Abdu'l-Bahá.

6

It should be the request, therefore, of Bahá'ís of
all countries, both men and women, in every
important centre, wherever they may reside
throughout the world, that the officials of His
Britannic Majesty's Government in Palestine, its
Headquarters being Jerusalem, issue a categorical
order that the key of the Holy Tomb--which is the
Point of Adoration and the sanctuary of all Bahá'ís
in the world--be restored to His Eminence Shoghi
Effendi, the Chosen Branch, and in this way to
render the Bahá'í community, whether of the East
or of the West, more appreciative than ever of
British justice. The text of both cable and letter,
together with the address, have been written on a
separate sheet, as enclosed. The message is to be
signed by the representatives and known followers
of the Bahá'í Faith in that city.